2 weeks Ago By Joseph McBride
LSU head coach Kim Mulkey hit back at a reporter in defense of her Tigers program after being eliminated from the NCAA Tournament following a 72-65 loss to UCLA on Sunday. After winning the national championship two years ago , the reporter highlighted that LSU has now lost at the Elite Eight stage in consecutive years . Mulkey, fresh off the defeat, was unhappy with the remark and began a tense exchange with the reporter as she said: "Is that terrible or is that good?" The reporter brutally claimed it was terrible, leading to Mulkey replying: "Is it? How many Final Fours you play in?" When the reporter clarified that they'd never played in March Madness, Mulkey added: "So it's probably pretty good, huh? All right.
" Mulkey was then asked to describe how the elimination this season differed from last year, and the Tigers head coach said: "Different team, different players, role players from last year played bigger roles this year, transfers. "I had five in that locker room that had never been to a Sweet 16, never been to an Elite Eight, and the amount of experience that they got will be valuable. Yeah, I mean, I learned to celebrate every team I coach.
"Some have overachieved through the years, some have gone just as far as I thought they could go, and then some have underachieved. And that's the fun part of coaching. When you retire, you sit in that rocking chair and you think about all that.
"But more importantly than any of that is listening to three All-Americans hurt and talk about things that they have learned that have nothing to do with basketball." Mulkey was joined at the press conference by Flau'jae Johnson, Aneesah Morrow, and Mikaylah Williams. For Morrow, it was an emotional day as the senior played her final game for LSU.
Morrow will now enter the 2025 WNBA Draft, but after a strong NCAA Tournament, her stock has risen ahead of the event in Brooklyn on June 25. Williams will return after completing her sophomore season, but for Johnson, the decision is in her hands. Johnson may be a junior, but she is eligible for the 2025 WNBA Draft as she turns 22 this calendar year.
Johnson said that she's undecided on whether to return or forgo her final year of eligibility and enter the professional basketball scene. Johnson will speak privately with coach Mulkey and also consult her family before making a decision. Although Mulkey would love to welcome Johnson back, the LSU coach is used to dealing with mass roster changes each year and expects the upcoming offseason to be busy as usual.
"As competitors, nothing softens the blow that you're this close to another Final Four," Mulkey said. "But being old like I am and being around awhile, I've learned to keep perspective, and time will help me think about things through the course of the year on things that we did that were really amazing, and the (transfer) portal, right? It's time to get in the portal. "This one leaves, this one goes, this one comes.
So next year we'll start this thing up again and see what kind of team you have and go to work.".
